There have been a number of visitors in recent months ask what the strange
looking mounds and tiles were doing in my starting pen. Previous articles have
discussed how I design my brush piles and small dens, but I haven’t ever talked
about the burrows many of my rabbits use to whelp their litters. This article
will describe the larger burrows where rabbits can survive cold winter weather
as well as raise their young.

The two dens described below are easy to build and several can be created in a
couple of hours. I’ve put in about a dozen plus have a couple of friends who
have put them in their training areas. They last a long time and are usually
well used by the local rabbit population.

BOX
DENS

I decided to build a box den a couple of years back
because in my starting pen there are no other ground-burrowing animals that
could provide natural dens for my rabbits. The den is well insulated and works
well in flat areas with little other cover. I got the idea for this den from
both my friend’s rabbit hutches and some traps that I use.

Basically, rabbits don’t need a lot of room to raise their young. What they
really want is a secure place out of the elements that has enough room for them
to turn around in. What I’ve designed is a box like a rabbit trap that is just
large enough for a rabbit to get into without fear plus have both front and back
entrances. Figure 1 shows a simple box made from 3/8” waterproof plywood using
screws to attach each edge together. Notice that the end of the box has a V
shaped opening.

The next
thing I do to the box is wrap a single layer of tin foil around the middle of
the box with the reflective surfaces towards the inside. I’m not really sure
it’s needed, but if you ever take a look at environmental wallboard you will
notice it has a layer of foil. This reflects thermal heat keeping the inside
closer to body heat and reflecting outside heat. I figure it doesn’t cost
anything extra so why not add it.

Next, find
a good location to put the box. I look for a place not too far from water and a
feeder, one that has overhead cover above both entrances, and also one with a
small hill or log along one side. Be sure the location isn’t in a low spot
where water will settle after long rains. If you think water might flood the
box, build the ground up under it as dampness will nearly always kill young
rabbits.

Once you have a location in mind, put a small piece of heavy roofing felt on the
ground, then the box, then a folded piece of roofing felt all around the outside
of the box. Cover this with a small piece of plastic on top.
Once covered, shovel dirt over the box until you have a layer of
about 2-3 inches of dirt on top and the sides are well slopped rather then
steep. The combination of the foil plus the felt prevents the wood from rotting
out for a long time so your rabbits will be comfortable for years to come.

I should mention one more thing. While rabbits may go into the box on their
own, I usually sprinkle some rabbit feed in front of the den for a couple of
days plus scrap some of the dropping from the ground inside my feeder and
sprinkle it around the front as well. In a few days you will notice the box is
being used.

TILE
DEN

The tile den is a
rather permanent larger den that takes very little work to create and is well
protected from dogs digging out the rabbits inside. For this den, start with a
piece of heavy drain tile that comes pre-sized about 2’ long by 1’ wide by 8”
high. Cut a tight fitted piece of 3/8” waterproof plywood and tap into each end
as shown in the figure. If the wood is loosely
fitter, it will not withstand a dog trying to pry it out.

As with
the wood box, find a location with some cover above both ends of the box,
preferably along a tree or hillside. Put a piece of roofing foil above and
under the tile. Unlike the wood box, this den doesn’t need to be covered with
dirt but can be if you wish. I usually just put a short log on top of the felt
and leave the rest uncovered. Rabbits seem to really like this den even if it
doesn’t look natural.

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